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May 12, 2015

GIVEAWAY: Win a copy of the wonderful book Decades of Hats from Schiffer Publishing

If you've been following this blog for even a small amount of time, you'll likely know how incredibly wild I am about vintage hats. Big, small, fancy, understated, glam, utilitarian, it doesn't matter, if the words "vintage" and "hat" are in the same sentence, and we're talking about pre-1960s offerings in particular, I'm not just game, chances are, I'm asking about prices! :)

My own hat collection, which seems to grow as if by magic with each passing season, houses over forty family members, most of which get worn at least once a year, with many being frequent players throughout any given month. I've chatted here and elsewhere on the web fairly extensively about my passion for old school chapeaus (such as in this 2012 interview) and am sure it's a something I'll shine the spotlight on again many more times in the future.

Today however, the focus is less on my own hats and thoughts on the subject at large, and more on a seriously charming book all about antique and vintage hats called, rather fittingly,Decades of Hats: 1900s to the 1970sby Sue Nightingale, which was released in 2014 from Schiffer Publishing.

Without a doubt, one of the most frequently asked questions that comes my way - especially from strangers that I encounter when out and about - is some variation of "where does one go to find information on putting together and authentically styling vintage looks". There are many sources from which to learn and be inspired on this front, from the more obvious (movies, photos, museums, etc) to others that might not spring to mind right away, but which are well worth checking out.

Unquestionably one of the finest sources is books: vintage, modern, somewhere in between, so long as they pertain to yesteryear fashions and are historically accurate (or very nearly so), books are unquestionably an amazing source of help and inspiration on this front. They're not just for the vintage newbie alone either by any means. Every time I purchase or receive a new-to-me book that even slightly pertains to the past and contains images relating to fashion, I study them like I'm prepping for the SATs.

That's why I couldn't say yes quickly enough when a friendly rep from Schiffer Publishing offered to send me a copy of Decades of Hats for myself to keep and discuss on my blog, as well to provide a giveaway copy for one lucky Chronically Vintage reader.

This book, though it does include a wonderful introduction and some small notes peppered throughout from author Sue Nightingale, is not a heavy, academic read. In fact, it's very light on text - save for that which appeared in the original catalog pages that it is chock-a-block full of. Housed in this 144 page book you will find over 300 images, culled from authentic vintage sources, all of which focus on the beautiful hats in them.

For those who are familiar with Schiffer's popular "Fashionable Clothes from the ---" series of books, which feature scores of mid-century clothing looks from the pages of the Sears catalog, Decades of Hat follows in much the same vein.

The emphasis through and through here is on genuine early to mid-century images of antique and vintage hats. It is laid out chronologically from oldest to newest, with a small, helpful bit of author impute and plenty to inspire, delight and inform anyone who has the pleasure of flipping through its pages.

Whether you wear vintage hats often or not, if you're a fan of old school fashion - and chances are that if you're reading this blog, that's a heading you fall under - than you will definitely want to enter for your chance to win a copy of Decades of Hats. It's a fun, easy to read, wildly enjoyably book that you find yourself returning to time and time again, for both styling inspiration and the unfettered joy that looking at yesteryear styles themselves never fails to deliver in spades.

How to Enter

There are eight ways to enter this giveaway. You are welcome to do however many of these seven things as you like. Please leave a separate comment for each method of entry that you do so as to increase your odds of winning. Single comments that list multiple forms of entry can only be counted as one entry, so again, please leave a different comment for each method that you enter with (thank you!).

7. Post about this giveaway on your own blog, linking to both Schiffer Books and this post when you do.

8. Follow (or be an existing follower) of Chronically Vintage on Instagram.

Giveaway Details:
This giveaway is open to participants worldwide. It will run from today's date (May 12, 2015) until Tuesday May 19, 2015 at 11:59 PST. The winner will receive one copy of the book Decades of Hats: 1900s to the 1970s, which will be mailed to them directly from Schiffer Publishing.

I will draw the winning comment using a random number generator and announce the winner on Facebook and/or Twitter shortly after the giveaway has wrapped up. If such information is readily available on, the winner will also be contacted directly via email or Facebook private message. If you have any questions about this giveaway, please don't hesitate to email me.

♥ ♥ ♥

Decades of Hats is a lovely, fun read that will make you yearn for a time machine and bulging pocket book. I actually purchased a new vintage hat within days of reading it for the first time, because one of the styles it included spoke to me so much that I knew that I needed to enrich my hat wardrobe with one that looks quite similar asap!

This book is a fabulous resource for vintage fashionistas, hat collectors, milliners, costumers, and anyone who enjoys hats (and/or vintage catalog pages/ads) in general.

I want to sincerely thank Schiffer Publishing for teaming up with my blog for this great giveaway. As a lifelong bookworm who always has numerous titles on the go, there are few things I enjoy offering my readers as a giveaway prize more than a fabulous vintage related book like this hat image filled gem.

Many thanks, and best of luck, as well, to all those who take part in this fun giveaway (I can't wait to read more about your favourite decade for hats!).

63 comments:

Schiffer books are great, I have a couple on my bookshelf but not this one! My all time favorite period for hats are the late 1930s and early 1940s. I adore the little tilt style hats!Thanks so much for this giveaway!-Emily

Ooh, how exciting! My favorite decade of hats is the 30s, everything from the cloches crossing over from the 20s, to the berets nearer the 40s. They are very wearable today also. Here's a picture from one of my 30s newspapers that you might like: file://localhost/C:/Users/Hannah/Pictures/2014-08-12/094.JPG My sister has that Sears fashion catalog from the 50s book and we have both loved it. Have a blessed day and hope you're having a lovely spring!

This book reminds me of the actress character, Sorel Bennett, in the play Death by Design (in which I performed a different role last year). Her ambition in life is to become the mistress of a diplomatist so she can "travel the world, wearing extravagant hats!"

Woohoo! Vintage hats are where it's at(s) *lol* For me, my one entry will be my comment here - I LOVE hats from the 1930's (as my wallet and shopping history on Etsy will attest to). There's something about an amazing tilt hat from later in the era that I just cannot get enough of, and the fabrics and construction are terrific. Of course, the fact that I also love the clothing styles from the era makes it easier to play the matching game! *lol*

Thank you for the opportunity to enter! I have been on a HUGE hat kick recently, and am currently obsessed with 1950's millinery. Of course, I love the boldness of hats in the 40's too... So many hats, so little money in my wallet, LOL!

The 1930s are my favorite hats. They tended to use a lot of texture and interesting shape because of having to use fewer extravagant materials. And on the opposite side.... I love 1910s hats because they're ginormous and gaudy and amazing, and 1920s hats for their mysterious vibes. Basically.... I like a LOT of hat eras!

Oh, what an amazing opportunity.There's no greater joy that having a great hat to protect you from many things: the blazing sun, the gazing looks, the moody weather and to cover that "bad hair day" moment we're all familiar with. :)

I like the hats of the 50 because I remember wearing these hats while I was a teenager. I also like older hats like I see in old movies. I even like the sun bonnets the pioneer women wore and even made one for an old fashion day at church.

You're on Instagram - that's soooo awesome (said in this voice and with this much enthusiasm as when she says "It's so fluffy!" in the movie Despicable Me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8EFVDq0crs).

Welcome, welcome, welcome!!! And thank you very much for following me there. I'm off to do the same (for you) right this very moment.

Big hugs & many thanks for taking part in this fun book giveaway,♥ Jessica

Ps, I want to post on my blog but I'm in the middle of crocheting a 1920's hat as we speak and I want to try and finish that so I can link it all together... hmmm lets see how fast my little chilly hands can go :)

Huge thanks to everyone who took part in this fun giveaway! My apologies for the delay in drawing and announcing the winner, I've been quite unwell on the health front lately and am a little bit on some things. I'm happy to report that I've done so this morning though and that the lucky winner (drawn using a random number generator program) is comment #39, which belongs to Tanith Rowan.

Happy congratulations, Tanith!!!

And thank you so much to everyone who took part. Watch for another giveaway for a different historical fashion related book later this year.

I'm Jessica, a lifelong lover of all things antique and vintage, especially those from the 1930s, 40s and 50s.

This blog is my visual scrapbook in which I record and share my thoughts on the multitude of sources, people and products that inspire and feed a modern gal's addiction to the past. I also post about the vintage clothes, hairstyles and make-up looks that I adore wearing.

Stay a spell and have a blast as we explore the incomparably fantastic world of vintage history and fashion together.

All images used on this site are credited to their original posters/creators/sources,
however if at any time you would prefer not to see one of your images here, please email me and I'll take it down right away.

PS...I just wanted to say thank you very much for visiting and to tell you that you're equal parts awesome and beautiful.